Afghanistan: Roulement

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Hutton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	In his Statement to the House on 12 December 2007 (Official Report, col. 304) the Prime Minister said we shall continue to maintain a strong military force in Afghanistan. In his Statement to the House yesterday, the Prime Minister recognised the hard and dangerous work being undertaken by our Armed Forces, and reiterated the United Kingdom's objectives in Afghanistan. The next roulement of UK forces in Afghanistan will take place in April 2009. The force package that we plan to deploy will see the current lead formation, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, replaced by 19 (Light) Brigade which will command the majority of the units serving in Afghanistan. The forces deploying include:
	
		
			 19 Light Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (209) 
			 Elements of 845 Naval Air Squadron 
			 Elements of 846 Naval Air Squadron 
			 Elements of 847 Naval Air Squadron 
			 The Light Dragoons 
			 40th Regiment Royal Artillery 
			 38 Engineer Regiment 
			 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards 
			 The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 
			 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) 
			 2nd Battalion The Rifles 
			 19 Combat Service Support Battalion 
			 29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 2Medical Regiment 
			 4 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 
			 173 Provost Company Royal Military Police 
			 Elements of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 
			 Elements of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery 
			 Elements of 12th Regiment Royal Artillery 
			 Elements of 19thRegiment Royal Artillery 
			 Elements of 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery 
			 Elements of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery 
			 Elements of 26 Engineer Regiment 
			 Elements of 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) 
			 Elements of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographical) 
			 Elements of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group 
			 Elements of 15 Field Support Squadron 
			 Elements of 7th Signal Regiment 
			 Elements of 10th Signal Regiment 
			 Elements of 14th Signals Regiment (Electronic Warfare) 
			 Elements of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) 
			 Elements of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh 
			 Elements of 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles 
			 Elements of 1 Regiment, Army Air Corps 
			 Elements of 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps 
			 Elements of 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps 
			 Elements of 4 Logistic Support Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 6 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 7 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 9 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 23 Pioneer Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 24 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 27 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion 
			 Elements of 7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers 
			 Elements of 104 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 
			 Elements of 101 Military Working Dog Support Unit 
			 Elements of 1 Military Intelligence Brigade 
			 Elements of the Joint Civil Military Co-operation Group (CIMIC) 
			 Elements of 148 Expeditionary Force Institute Squadron (Volunteers) The Royal Logistic Corps 
			 Elements of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 
			 Elements of 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment 
			 Elements of Joint Medical Command 
			 Elements of 2 Medical Regiment 
			 Elements of 4 Medical Regiment 
			 Elements of 202 Field Hospital (Volunteers) 
			 Elements of 225 Medical Regiment (Volunteers) 
			 Elements to man 904 Expeditionary Air Wing, Royal Air Force 
			 6 Force Protection Wing Headquarters, Royal Air Force Regiment 
			 63 Queen's Colour Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment 
			 Elements of 12 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 24 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 617 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of the Tactical Supply Wing, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements to man the Joint Helicopter Support Unit 
			 Elements of 1 Air Movements Wing, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 1 Air Control Centre, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 2 Motor Transport Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of 5001 Squadron, Royal Air Force 
			 Elements of Mobile Catering Support Unit 
			 Elements of Tactical Medical Wing 
			 Elements of Tactical Armament Squadron 
			 Elements of Tactical Imagery Intelligence Wing 
		
	
	These units represent direct replacements for previously announced deployments to Afghanistan. In addition, commanders on the ground need to retain tactical flexibility to call forward reserves on a temporary basis to meet short-term operational needs. Elements of 2 Battalion, the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, the Theatre Reserve Battalion, are deployed or are about to be deployed in this capacity. In his Statement yesterday the Prime Minister announced the approval until August, including for the period of preparation for the elections, of an increase in the number of British troops deployed to Afghanistan from just over 8,000 to around 8,300. These additional troops will come from 2 Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and will replace equivalent forces deployed from 2 Battalion, the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. These forces will be building on recent security gains in central Helmand.
	Volunteer and regular members of the Reserve Forces will continue to deploy to Afghanistan as part of this integrated force package, and we expect to issue around 600 call-out notices to fill some 575 posts. On completion of their mobilization procedures, the reservists will undertake a period of training and, where applicable, integration with their respective receiving units. The majority will serve on operations for six or so months, although some may have shorter tours. As part of this commitment, we expect up to 15 members of the sponsored reserves to be in theatre at any one time.
	The House will also wish to be aware that 19 Light Brigade's deployment will last until October 2009. On current plans, the brigade will then be replaced by 11 Light Brigade. I shall make a further Statement on the units we expect to commit from next October in due course.

Benefits: Child Dependency

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Jonathan Shaw) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I would like to announce measures to ensure that people who have dependent children will continue to receive the benefit they are entitled to through child dependency increases, payable with incapacity benefit, state pension, widows benefit, bereavement benefit, and carer's allowance.
	The Child Benefit Act 2005 introduced a new definition of qualifying young person used to decide whether or not child benefit is payable for people aged 16 to 19. However, the Act did not make corresponding amendments to provisions for child dependency increases made under the Tax Credits Act 2002.
	As a result, payments of child dependency increases, where the child is aged 16 years or over, are not covered by primary legislation from 10 April 2006. This omission in primary legislation was an oversight and did not reflect Parliament's intentions. Consequently these payments are considered irregular.
	We estimate that 28,800 increases are affected in 2006-07 and 24,500 in 2007-08, with the level of overpayment amounting to approximately £15.1 million in 2006-07 and £12.6 million in 2007-08.
	To enable payments of child dependency increases to continue as normal, we will reverse the unintentional effects of the Child Benefit Act 2005, by including a measure in the forthcoming welfare reform Bill. We expect this to be introduced in early 2009.
	In the mean time I am issuing this Statement to provide transparency and an assurance that no one will lose any benefit entitlement or be asked to make any repayment as a result of this oversight in legislation.
	This Statement has been approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Children: Language and Communication

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls) made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Secretary of State for Health and I are today publishing Better Communication: An Action Plan to Improve Services for Children and Young People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). Copies of the action plan will be placed in the Libraries.
	Last year, we asked John Bercow MP to review services for children and young people with SLCN. His report, published on 8 July 2008, set out 40 recommendations to improve services across five key themes: communication is crucial, a key life skill at the heart of every social interaction and vital to children's successful development; early identification and intervention is essential to maximise each child's chance of overcoming their communication need and succeeding; a continuum of services designed around the family is needed for children with SLCN; joint working is critical to deliver services that provide effective support; and the current system is characterised by high variability and a lack of equity.
	Today's action plan provides the Government's full response to the Bercow report. As we announced in July, we accept the report's key recommendations and up to £12 million would be invested in providing national leadership to improve services for children with SLCN. The action plan sets out a range of initiatives across government and will improve services for children and young people with SLCN culminating in that national year of speech, language and communication in 2011-12. This includes:
	up to 20 local area pathfinders will be used to develop good practice guidance and a supplemental joint commissioning framework on SLCN;up to £1.5 million will be invested in grants to the alternative and augmentative communication sector; andup to £1.5 million will be invested in a research programme looking at SLCN over the next three years.
	To provide ongoing support to the delivery of these initiatives over the next three years, we will form a communication council and appoint a communication champion early in 2009. The communication council will provide government with ongoing advice and support on how best to develop effective services for children with SLCN. The communication champion will be appointed to raise awareness of speech, language and communication issues and work with delivery partners to co-ordinate initiatives and organise the national year of speech, language and communication.
	The Government will also commission a review of progress to improve services for children and young people with SLCN in summer 2010.

Cremation

Lord Bach: My honourable friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Bridget Prentice) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I wish to make the following Statement to the House about new cremation regulations for England and Wales. New cremation regulations were laid in Parliament on 3 November 2008 and replace the Cremation Regulations 1930, which are now seen as confusing and outdated. They therefore required modernisation and consolidation.
	These new regulations come into effect on 1 January 2009, with a transitional period of one month, during which time both old and new statutory forms may be used. The right of families to inspect the medical forms completed by doctors, contained for the first time in the new regulations, is a significant reform and follows recommendations from Dame Janet Smith's inquiry into the Harold Shipman murders. The new regulations are an interim measure which will be replaced by a new system of death certification, on which the Department of Health is leading. The coroners and justice Bill mentioned in the Queen's Speech on 3 December will create the role of medical examiner. The medical examiner will examine all deaths not requiring coronial post mortem or inquest, including those where the method of disposal is burial. The cremation regulations will no longer be required in their present form once the medical examiner system has come into effect throughout England and Wales.
	These new regulations allow the applicant for cremation to inspect the medical forms of a deceased family member before a cremation takes place. The applicant will be able to draw the medical referee's attention to any concerns about unexpected symptoms or discrepancies in the case.
	The countersignature on the application form has been abolished, and instead a warning about making a false statement has been placed on all the forms. Making such a false statement is a criminal offence under Section 8(2) of the Cremation Act 1902 and is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment.
	The Secretary of State appoints medical referees on the nomination of the cremation authority and will also now have a power to revoke the appointment of a referee on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour. Guidance may also be provided for cremation authorities when considering who they would ask the Secretary of State to appoint as a medical referee.
	There are also new statutory forms to permit the cremation of stillborn babies, as well as modernised versions of the forms made under the 1930 regulations.

House of Lords: Black Rod

Lord Brabazon of Tara: Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Lieutenant-General Sir Freddie Viggers KCB CMG MBE as the next Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, in succession to Sir Michael Willcocks, who will retire in May 2009.

Housing: Zero-carbon Buildings

Baroness Andrews: My right honourable friend the Minister for Housing (Margaret Beckett)has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today I am publishing a consultation on the definition of zero-carbon homes and zero-carbon non-domestic buildings, and a supporting impact assessment on zero-carbon homes. These documents will be placed in the Library of the House.
	In July 2007, following a full consultation, Communities and Local Government published the Building a Greener Future policy statement. This stated that all new homes would be zero carbon from 2016. In 2010 and 2013 building regulations would be strengthened to reduce carbon emissions by 25 per cent and 44 per cent as stepping stones towards that goal. Budget 2008 announced our ambition that new public sector non-domestic buildings would be zero carbon from 2018, and other new non-domestic buildings would be zero carbon from 2019.
	The consultation being published today seeks view on:
	a definition of zero-carbon homes which would significantly reduce carbon emissions while allowing for a combination of on-site, near-site and off-site solutions; andthe feasibility and timetable for achieving a similar standard for new non-domestic buildings.
	Zero-carbon Homes
	In Building a Greener Future, we described a zero-carbon home as having zero net emissions of carbon dioxide from all energy used to run the home, including an allowance for appliances, over the course of a year. We anticipated that this would be achieved through low- and zero-carbon energy sources installed on-site or directly connected to the development, although recognised that offsetting may be required in some developments. Industry called for early certainty as to the definition to enable it to plan. Meanwhile, technical work carried out for the 2016 task force, which oversees implementation of the policy, indicated that near-site and off-site solutions would be necessary to reach the zero-carbon standard in a larger number of homes.
	The detailed definition proposed in this consultation document maintains the ambition in Building a Greener Future, and makes proposals for when and how near-site and off-site solutions may be used in achieving zero-carbon homes. The proposals recognise the potential for carbon emissions from energy use in homes to be tackled through community-scale heat and renewable energy generation, or exports of heat from a home to its surroundings. The aim of the proposals is to frame an ambitious but achievable objective that will greatly enhance standards of homes while promoting innovation and providing certainty to industry.
	Under the proposals set out, a zero-carbon home will need to:
	incorporate high levels of energy efficiency;achieve at least a minimum level of reductions in carbon emissions (compared to current building regulations) through a combination of energy efficiency, on-site low- and zero-carbon energy supply and directly connected heat; andtackle remaining emissions from a menu of good quality "allowable solutions" such as community-scale heat or energy generation.
	Significant issues for debate through this consultation include:
	the overall level of ambition on energy efficiency—ie, how far regulations should push standards for the fabric of the home; the minimum level of carbon reduction to be achieved on-site (including through connections to heat networks); and the range of allowable solutions proposed and the maximum cost that it would be reasonable to expect to be spent, per tonne of carbon dioxide, on the allowable solutions in order to achieve the zero-carbon homes standard.
	This maximum cost will inform a further review of the allowable solutions, which we propose to undertake in 2012, once we have a clearer picture on the extent and cost of allowable solutions that will be available by 2016.
	Non-domestic buildings
	Evidence on energy usage in non-domestic buildings is less developed than that for homes, but it is clear that it varies greatly from building to building according to their use. Office buildings, factories, shops and hospitals are all constructed differently and use energy in different ways, because of the very different purposes that they serve. The Government maintain their ambition that all new non-domestic buildings will be zero carbon from 2019 but recognise the need to improve the evidence base before determining the right way forward in order to realise this ambition. We are therefore taking this opportunity to set out our current thinking, inviting views and submissions of evidence to supplement our analysis. A more detailed consultation will be held during 2009.
	Next steps
	The consultation will close on 18 March 2009 and will be followed, in summer 2009, by a policy statement on zero-carbon homes and a further, in-depth consultation on zero-carbon non-domestic buildings. In early 2009, we will also be consulting, on the amendments to be made to the building regulations in 2010 in order to achieve an interim reduction of 25 per cent of emissions, as the first step along the way to the zero-carbon homes standard.

Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Paul Goggins) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	Robert Whalley CB has submitted his first report as independent reviewer of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 (the "2007 Act"). I have today arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The report of the independent reviewer covers the operation of Sections 21 to 32 of the 2007 Act and the procedures adopted by the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland for receiving, investigating and responding to complaints. The report covers the period 1 August 2007 to 31 July 2008.
	The report provides a positive assessment of the use of the powers under the 2007 Act and makes clear the need for their continued requirement. The report provides a valuable reassurance to both the public and government on the use of these powers, ensuring that they are exercised appropriately and proportionately.
	The report paints a positive assessment of the procedures adopted by the GOC for dealing with military complaints. I welcome Mr Whalley's undertaking to explore this issue in more detail in his next report.
	I welcome the recommendations made by Robert Whalley and I will consider them carefully.

Legal Aid Reform

Lord Bach: Today the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) publish a consultation paper, Family Legal Aid Funding From 2010, which sets out proposals for legal aid payments for family work to apply from 2010.
	Currently there are different advocacy payment schemes depending on the profession of the advocate and on whether they are a self-employed advocate, such as a barrister, or an in-house advocate, such as a solicitor or employed barrister. Self-employed barristers can be paid significantly more than in-house barristers or solicitors for the same work. The consultation paper proposes a new scheme that pays the same fee for the same work regardless of whether the advocate is a barrister or a solicitor by profession.
	The proposed scheme recognises that some cases are more complex than others, and additional payments are available, for both barrister and solicitor advocates, for additional interim hearings, and for lengthy final hearings. Different fees are also available for advocates' meetings in childcare or supervision proceedings in order to support the new judicial case management protocol: the Public Law Outline.
	Particularly complex cases, such as child abduction or wardship proceedings, are outside the proposed scheme and will continue to be paid under existing arrangements. Very high-cost cases will also be remunerated separately as is presently the case.
	The consultation also includes proposals to remove from funding certain expert disbursements, in order that civil legal aid funds are better focused on clients. The consultation closes on 18 March 2009, and any changes would be implemented in 2010.
	Expenditure on legal aid barrister family advocacy has risen from £74 million to nearly £100 million in the past five years. To address this, and to protect client services, the MoJ and the LSC consulted on changes to the family graduated fee scheme, which governs payments to barristers for family legal aid work, between 18 June and 10 September 2008. Our consultation was announced in a Statement made by my noble friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 18 June (Official Report, col. WS 81). I will inform Parliament of my decision on this matter before the February Recess.
	The consultation document Family Legal Aid Funding From 2010 is available on the LSC website at www.legalservices.gov.uk and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office.

Transport: Private Hire Vehicles

Lord Adonis: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Paul Clark) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	Section 53 of the Local Transport Act 2008 allows the owners of private hire vehicles (PHVs or minicabs) to provide local bus services in the way that taxis (hackney carriages) are already able to do. This will bring benefits in extending the range of transport services available, particularly to those in rural areas.
	I have today published a consultation paper seeking views on the draft regulations which are necessary to enable PHV owners to use their vehicles in this way.
	The draft regulations will apply in England (outside London), Wales and Scotland. Transport for London is responsible for making any regulations governing PHV-buses in London.
	Copies of the consultation—including the draft regulations and a consultation-stage impact assessment—have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The documents are also available on the Department for Transport's website.
	Those wishing to comment on the proposals have until 13 March 2009 to do so.